Edmonton Oilers going back to late season magic of McD, RNH and Rattie

Game Day 45, Oilers vs Arizona

This in from TSN’s Ryan Rishaug on the Oil’s line combos for tonight’s game against Arizona.

RNH McDavid Rattie

Lucic Draisaitl Chiasson

Spooner Khaira Puljujarvi

Reider Brodziak Kassian

Nurse Russell

Jones Larsson

Gravel Benning

Talbot

While this is the starting line-up, Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock made it clear it might not last much past the first shift. “Chiasson, Draisaitl, Nuge, Connor are interchangeable. We’ll see how it looks. If it looks proper, we’ll go with it. If not, we’ll make changes right away… We got to be really flexible until something is solid in a three man unit.”

My take

I like this line, it had real success last season and was on its way earlier this year until Rattie got hurt. I also like Draisaitl leading his own line. So, fingers crossed here, let’s hope the McD-Huge-Rattie combo gets rolling fast and sticks as a useful line. It would be a huge boon to the Oilers, freeing up Draisaitl to lead his own line at even strength and boost two other wingers.

I like the third line, mainly because Khaira is the one Oilers player who seems to look to make plays in the o-zone with Puljujarvi. Spooner is also due to put up some points in a game, as he hasn’t been bad as two-way winger, he’s simply failed to score, which is a pretty major knock on any winger.

Edmonton allowed only three Grade A scoring chance shots against Florida. That should again by the goal against Arizona, and with this defensive group it’s possible. Jones and Larsson (bad bounces aside) are a solid combo of youthful puckmoving and veteran grit, while Russell and Nurse have been good all year, and Gravel and Benning are likely the most dependable third pairing tandem the Oilers have had all season. Suddenly Edmonton’s defence doesn’t look so wretched, at least if Benning and Gravel hold up their end of it and complete their passes.